Women, Marriage and Agency: A Socio-Cultural Study of Girish Karnad’s Nagamandala

Abstract

The present study offers a socio-cultural exploration of Girish Karnad’s Nagamandala, focusing on the intertwined themes of identity, marriage, fidelity, and female agency. As one of India’s foremost dramatists, Karnad reimagines myth, folklore, and oral traditions to interrogate contemporary social realities. Set against a rural South Indian backdrop, Nagamandala illuminates the struggles of women negotiating patriarchal structures while striving for autonomy. The play foregrounds Rani’s journey, along with other significant female figures, to depict resilience, courage, and the quest for selfhood amid restrictive social codes. By examining the narrative’s fusion of myth and social critique, this study highlights how Karnad crafts a dynamic portrayal of women as both victims of repression and agents of transformation. Ultimately, the paper underscores the socio-cultural significance of Nagamandala in articulating the complexities of gender dynamics in Indian society. This study adopts a feminist-socio-cultural framework, combining textual analysis with theoretical insights from Simone de Beauvoir, Uma Chakravarti, and contemporary critics, thereby offering a nuanced reading distinct from purely folkloric or psychological interpretations.